News related to dogs include the dog flu which is now in 12 states. People can’t get it, but your pet can.

Throw your PR campaign a bone by being an early bird. Media writing glossy magazines are working 3 to 6 months in advance and believe it or not, many are already approaching Thanksgiving, holiday of lights and New Year topics. If you want the “woof” to explode off your media coverage, pitch early.

To plan your early pitching, seek out editorial calendars from magazines. They typically post them at their website. Here’s one from the Meredith magazines, such as: Martha Stewart Living, Fitness Magazine, Real Simple, Family Fun, Family Circle, EveryDay with Rachael Ray (slow down to spell celeb names correctly!), EatingWell, Better Homes and Gardens, American Baby and more.

By the way, if you want to ‘treat’ media friends to a thank you after they mention you in their news coverage, take this tip. Print journalists often have limits on gifts they can accept so they remain neutral. A simple thank you to them is sufficient. If you must spend money, keep it to $20. Broadcast friends are more able to take gifts and I recommend food: nuts, cheese, candy or fruit. They are often left at the office working late hours and appreciate good nutrition or a quick pick-me-up. They typically don’t have gift cash limits. If in doubt, simply ask. The media person will tell you.

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Good Morning America Producer Mable Chan calls Michelle Tennant a “Five Star Publicist.” Tennant, a partner and executive publicist with Wasabi Publicity Inc., calls herself a “storyteller to the media.” Her passion is telling “truly good stories” and “exclusively representing people who make a positive difference in the world.” For 25+ years, media friends have solicited her help in crafting news stories by requesting sources, sound bites, and statistics. An award-winning writer, Michelle peppers campaigns with insight from her master’s degree in human development, BFA from a top 25 drama school, and expertise seeing PR transition from typewriters to Twitter. She’s either spinning stories or spinning at the gym. After hours, she savors the Smoky Mountains with her husband, Siberian Husky, and backyard chickens. Learn more about her work through her column at The Huffington Post.
Check out the clients she's currently pitching at SearchPressKits.com.